Geothermal Systems of the Yellowstone Caldera Field Trip Guide

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Geothermal studies are proceedings on two fronts in the West Yellowstone area. High-temperature resources for the generation of electricity are being sought in the Island Park area, and lower temperatures resources for direct applications, primarily space heating, are being explored for near the town of West Yellowstone. Potential electric geothermal development in the Island Park area has been the subject of widespread publicity over fears of damage to thermal features in Yellowstone Park. At the time of writing this guide, companies have applied for geothermal leases in the Island Park area, but these leases have not yet been granted by ...
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Description

Geothermal studies are proceedings on two fronts in the West Yellowstone area. High-temperature resources for the generation of electricity are being sought in the Island Park area, and lower temperatures resources for direct applications, primarily space heating, are being explored for near the town of West Yellowstone. Potential electric geothermal development in the Island Park area has been the subject of widespread publicity over fears of damage to thermal features in Yellowstone Park. At the time of writing this guide, companies have applied for geothermal leases in the Island Park area, but these leases have not yet been granted by the US Forest Service. The Senate is now discussing a bill that would regulate geothermal development in Island Park; outcome of this debate will determine the course of action on the lease applications. The Island Park area was the site of two cycles of caldera activity, with major eruptions at 2.0 and 1.2 million years ago. The US Geological Survey estimates that 16,850 x 10{sup 18} joules of energy may remain in the system. Geothermal resources suitable for direct applications are being sought in the West Yellowstone vicinity by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, under funding from the US Department of Energy. West Yellowstone has a mean annual temperature of 1-2 C. Research thus far suggests that basement rocks in the vicinity are at a depth of about 600 m and are probably similar to the rocks exposed north of Hebgen Lake, where Precambrian, Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks have been mapped. A few sites with anomalously warm water have been identified near the town. Work is continuing on this project.

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